Pagettwasfarfromsatisfiedwiththis，andwishedtohavetheoldgentleman’sopinionontheproprietyofmanagingallIndianaffairsonthebasisofanelectivesystem。
Ordedidhisbesttoexplain，butitwasplainthevisitorwasboredandbewilder~dFrankly，hedidn’tthinkmuchofcommittees；theyhadaMu-
nicipalCommitteeatLahoreandhadelectedamenialservant，anorderly，asamemberHehadbeeninformedofthisongoodauthority，andafterthat，committeeshadceasedtointeresthim。
ButallwasaccordingtotheruleofGovernment，and，pleaseGod，itwasallforthebest。
“Whatanoldfossilitis！”criedPagett，asOrdereturnedfromseeinghisguesttothedoor；“justlikesomeoldblue-bloodedhidalgoofSpainWhatdoeshereallythinkoftheCongressafterall，andoftheelectivesystem？”
“HatesitalllikepoisonWhenyouaresureofamajority，electionisafinesystem；butyoucanscarcelyexpecttheMahommedans，themastmasterfulandpowerfulminorityinthecountry，tocontemplatetheirownextinctionwithjoyTheworstofitisthatheandhisco-religionists，whoaremany，andthelandedproprietors，also，ofHindurace，arefrightenedandputoutbythiselectiopbusinessandbytheimportancewehavebestowedonlawyers，pleaders，writers，andthelike，whohave，uptonow，beeninabjectsubmissiontothem。
Theysaylittle，hutafteralltheyarethemostimportantfagotsinthegreatbundleofcommunities，andalltheglibbunkumintheworldwouldnotpayfortheirestrangementTheyhavecontrolledtheland。”
“ButIamassuredthatexperienceoflocalself-gov~rnmentinyourmunicipalitieshasbeenmostsatisfactory，andwhenoncetheprincipleisacceptedinyourcentres，don’tyouknow，itisboundtospread，andthese~mportant——ah’mpeopleofyourswouldlearnitliketherestIseenodifficultyatall。”andthesmoothlipsclosedwiththecomplacent256
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snaphabitualtoPagett，M。P。，the“manofcheerfulyesterdaysandconfidentto-morrows。”
Ordelookedathimwithadrearysmile。
’~Tbeprivilegeofelectionhasbeenmostreluctantlywithdrawnfromscoresofmunicipalities，othershavehadtobesummarilysuppressed，and，outsidethePresidencytowns，theactualworkdonehasbeenbadlyperformedThisisoflessmoment，perhaps-itonlysendsupthelocaldeath-rates-thanthefactthatthepublicinterestinmunicipalelections，neververystrong，haswaned，andiswaning，inspiteofcarefulnursingonthepartofGovernmentservants。”
“Canyouexplainthislackofinterest？”saidPagett，puttingasidetherestofOrde’sremarks。
’~YoumayfindawardofthekeyinthefactthatonlyoneineverythousandafourpopulationcanspellThentheyareinfinitelymoreinterestedinreligionandcastequestionsthaninanysortofpoliticsWhenthebusinessofmereexistenceisover，theirmindsareoccupiedbyaseriesofinterests，pleasures，rituals，superstitions，andthelike，basedoncenturiesoftraditionandusageYou，perhaps，findithardtoconceiveofpeopleabsolutelydevoidofcuriosity，towhomthebook，thedailypaper，andtheprintedspeechareunknown，andyouwoulddescribetheirlifeasblankThat’saprofoundmistakeYouareinanotherland，anothercentury，downonthebed-rockofsociety，wherethefamilymerely，andnotthecommunity，isall-importantTheaverageOrientalcannotbebroughttolookbeyondhisclanHislife，too，isnaorecompleteandself-sufficing，andlesssordidandlow-thoughtedthanyoumightimagineItisbovineandslowinsomerespects，butitisneveremptyYouandIareinclinedtoputthecartbeforethehorse，andtoforgetthatitisthemanthatiselemental，notthebook。
’Thecornandthecattleareallmycare，AndtherestisthewillofGod。’
Whyshouldsuchfolklookupfromtheirimmemoriallyappointedroundofdutyandintereststomeddlewiththeunknownandfusswithvoting-papersHowwouldyou，atopofallyourinterestscaretoconductevenone-tenthofyourlifeaccordingtothemannersandcustomsofthePapuans，let’ssay？That’swhatitcomesto。”
“Butiftheywon’ttakethetroubletovote，whydoyouanticipatethatMohammedans，proprietors，andtherestwouldbecrushedbymajoritiesofthem？”
AgainPagettdisregardedtheclosingsentence。
“Because，thoughthelandholderswouldnotmoveafingeronanypurelypoliticalquestion，theycouldberaisedindangerousexcitementbyreligioushatreds。
Alreadythefirstnoteofthishasbeensoundedbythepeoplewhoaretryingtogetupanagitationonthecow-killingquestion，andeveryyearthereistroubleovertheMohammedanMuharrumprocessions。
“Butwholooksafterthepopularrights，beingthusunrepresented？”
“TheGovernmentofHcrMajestytheQueen，EmpressofIndia，inwhich，iftheCongresspromotersaretobebelieved，thepeoplehaveanimplicittrust；fortheCongresscircular，speciallypreTHEENLIGHTENMENTSOFPAGETT，M。P。
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paredforrusticcomprehension，saysthemovementis’fortheremissionoftax，theadvancementofHindnstan，andthestrengtheningoftheBritishGovemment。’
Thispaperisheadedinlargeletters-’MAVTHEPROSPEEITYOFTH~EMPIREOFINDIA
ENDURE。”’
“Really！”saidPagett，“thatshowssomeclevernessButtherearethingsbetterworthimi’ationinourEnglisbmethodsof-er-politicalstatementthanthissortofamiablefraud。”
“Anyhow。”resumedOrde，“youperceivethatnotawordissaidaboutelectionsandtheelectiveprinciple，andthereticenceoftheCongresspromotershereshowstheyarewiseintheirgeneration。”
“Buttheelectiveprinciplemusttriumphintheend，andthelittledifficultiesyouseemtoanticipatewouldgivewayontheintroductionofawell-balancedscheme，capableofindefiniteextension。”
“Butisitpossibletodeviseaschemewhich，alwaysassumingthatthepeopletookanyinterestinit，withoutenormousexpense，ruinousdislocationoftheadminist：ationanddangertothepublicpeace，cansatisfytheaspirationsofMrHumeandhisfollowing，andyetsafeguardtheinterestsoftheMahommedans，thelandedandwealthyclasses，theConservativeHindus，theEurasians，Parsees，Sikhs，Rajputs，nativeChristians，domiciledEuropeansandothers，whoareeachimportantandpowerfulintheirway？”
Pagett’sattention，however，wasdivertedtothegate，whereagroupofcultivatorsstoodinapparenthesitation。
“HerearethetwelveApostles，hyJove-comestraightoutofRaffaele’scartoons。”saidtheM。P。，withthefreshappreciationofanewcomer。
Orde，lothtobeinterrupted，turnedimpatientlytowardthevillagers，andtheirleader，handinghislongstafftooneofhiscompanions，advancedtothehouse。
“ItisoldJelbo，theLumherdar，orhead-manofPindSharkot，andavery’intelligentmanforavillager。”
TheJatfarmerhadremovedhisshoesandstoodsmilingontheedgeoftheverandaHisstronglymarkedfeaturesglowedwithrussetbronze，andhisbrighteyesgleamedunderdeeplysetbrows，contractedbylifelongexposuretosunshineHisbeardandmoustachestreakedwithgreysweptfromboldcliffsofbrowandcheekinthelargesweepsoneseesdrawnbyMichaelAngelo，andstrandsoflongblackhairmingledwiththeirregularlypiledwreathsandfoldsofhisturbanThedraperyofstoutbluecottoncloththrownoverhisbroadshouldersandgirtroundhisnarrowloins，hungfromhistallforminbroadlysculpturedfolds，and~ewouldhavemadeasuperbmodelforanartistinsearchofapatriarch。
Ordegreetedhimcordially，andafterapolitepausethecountrymanstartedoffwithalongstorytoldwithimpressiveearnestnessOrdelistenedandsmiled，interruptingthespeakerat’~mestoargueandreasonwithhiminatonewhichPagettcouldhearwaskindly，andfinallycheckingthefluxofwordswasabouttodismisshim，whenPagettsuggestedthatheshouldbeaskedabouttheNationalCongress。
ButJellochadneverheardofit。
Hewasapoormanandsuchthings，bythefavorofhisHonor，didnotconcernhim。
“What’sthematterwithyourbigfriendthathewassoterriblyinearnest？”askedPagett，whenhehadleft。
“NothingmuchHewantsthebloodofthepeopleinthenextvillage，whohavehadsmallpoxandcattleplagueprettybadly，andbythehelpofawizard，acurrier，andseveralpigshavepasseditontohisownvillage’Wantstoknowiftheycan’tberuninforthisawfulcrimeItseemstheymadeadreadfulcharivariatthevillageboundary，threwaquantityofspell-bearingobjectsovertheborder，abuffalo’sskullandotherthings；thenbrandedachamur-whatyouwouldcallacurrier-onhishinderpartsanddrovehimandanumberofpigsoverintoJelIno’svillageJelbosayshecanbringevidencetoprovethatthewizarddirectingtheseproceedings，whoisaSansi，hasbeenguiltyoftheft，arson，rattle-killing，perjuryandmurder，butwouldprefertohavehimpunishedforbewitchingthemandinflictingsmall-pox。”
“Andhowonearthdidyouanswersuchalunatic？”
“LunaticItheoldfellowisassaneasyouorI；andhehassomegroundofcomplaintagainstthoseSansisIas~edifhewouldlikcanativesuperintendentofpolicewithsomementomakeinquiries，butheobjectedonthegroundsthepolicewereratherworsethansmallpoxandcriminaltribesputtogether。”
“Crimin~tribes-er-Idon’tquiteunderstand。”saidPaget~
“WehaveinIndiamanytribesofpeoplewhointheslackanti-Britishdaysbecamerobbers，invariouskindandpreye~onthepeopleTheyarebeingrestrainedandreclaimedlittlebylittle，andintimewillbecomeuscfu；citizens，buttheystillcherishhereditar~traditionsofcrime，andareadifficullottodealwithBythewaywh~；aboutthepoliticalrightsofthesefolkunderyourschemes？Thecountrypeoplecallthemvermin，butIsup-posetheywouldbeelectorswithth~
rest。”
“Nonsens~speaalprovisionwouldbemadefortheminawell-consideredelectoralscheme，andtheywoulddoubtlessbetreatedwithfittingseverity。”saidPagett，withamagisterialair。
“Severity，yes-butwhetheritwouldbefittingisdoubtfulEventhosepoordevilshaverights，and，afterall，theyonlypracticewhattheyhavebeentaught。”
“Butcriminals，Ordel“
“Yes，criminalswithcodesandritualsofcrime，godsandgodlingsofcrime，andahundredsongsandsayingsinpraiseofitPuzzling，isn’tit？”
“It’ssimplydreadfulTheyoughttobeputdownatonceAretheremanyofthem？”
“Notmorethanaboutsixtythousandinthisprovince，formanyofthetrlbesbroadlydescribedascriminalarereallyvagabondandcrimlnalonlyonoccasion，whileothersarebeingsettledandreclaimedTheyareofgreatantiquity，alegacyfromthepast，thegolden，gloriousAryanpastofMaxMuller，Birdwoodandtherestofyourspindrif~
philosophers。”
AnorderlybroughtacardtoOrdeTHEENLIGHTENMENTSOFPAGETT，M。P。
2SQ
whotookitwithamovementofirritationattheinterruption，andbandedittoPagett；alargecardwitharuledborderinredink，andinthecentreinschoolboycopperplate，MrDmaNath。
“Givesalaam。”saidthecivilian，andthereenteredinhasteaslenderyouth，cladinacloselyfittingcoatofgreyhomespun，tighttrousers，patent-leathershoes，andasmallblackvelvetcap。
Histhincheektwitched，andhiseyeswanderedrestlessly，fortheyoungmanwasevidentlynervousanduncomfortable，thoughstrivingtoassumeafreeandeasyair。
“Yourhonormayperhapsrememberme。”hesaidinEnglisb，andOrdescannedhimkeenly。
“IknowyourfacesomehowYoubelongedtotheShershahdistrictIthink，whenIwasinchargethere？”
“Yes，Sir，myfatheriswriteratShershah，andyourhonorgavemeaprizewhenIwasfirstintheMiddleSchoolexaminationfiveyearsagoSincethenIhaveprosecutedmystudies，andIamnowsecondyear’sstudentintheMissionCollege~“
“Ofcourse：youareKedarNath’sson-theboywhosaidhelikedgeographybetterthanplayorsugarcakes，andIdidn’tbelieveyou。
Howisyourfathergettingon？”